Old Friends
by The Cashew Nuts
Summary: SG1 goes into the shop and Sam sees an old friend. Post Death Knell.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything to do with Stargate; it all belongs to MGM, or Gekko Film Corp. All I own is the plot and original characters.

**Chapter 1:** Unlikely Meetings

The Colorado Springs mall was packed with late night shoppers. Rebecca Mayers was focusing on getting to the supermarket and getting back home as soon as possible. With a relieved sigh, she collected a trolley and started pushing it through the aisles. It was far less crowded in the supermarket, and she set about finding everything that was on her list.

Passing through, and picking up a jar of coffee, she saw a group of four people looking at the selection of biscuits. They were all clad in military dress. One of the men was saying to the only woman, who was on crutches, "Carter, come on, you can't let Daniel choose, you know what he's like!"

"Jack, from past experience, I think we know my choices are always better than yours." The man Rebecca assumed was Daniel responded.

"Sir, why don't you let T choose, or just get both?" The woman replied, running a hand through her blonde hair.

That voice! Rebecca stared intently at the woman. Could it possibly be -?

"Sam?" She asked slowly, pushing her trolley towards the group. All four of them turned to look at her, the three men moving In front of the woman protectively. She looked at Rebecca carefully, recognition flashing across her face.

"Bec? No way!" Her face grew into a huge grin and the three men relaxed. Sam hopped forward on her crutches, and Rebecca gave her a careful hug.

"Oh my God it really is you!" Bec stepped back and studied her intensely. Sam had small cuts and bruises all over her face and hands, and was leaning heavily on her crutches and right leg.

"You look great, Bec," Sam was saying.

"Thanks. I wish I could say the same, but…" Bec's voice trailed off.

Sam smiled ruefully. "I know. I'm a mess at the moment, you can say it, I won't take offence."

"What happened to you?"

Sam shared a quick look with the silver haired man, before saying, "I was injured at work in a lab accident."

Bec nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we had quite a few of them at school, didn't we? Never quite so serious though."

Sam laughed. Behind her the silver haired man coughed.

"Oh, yeah. Bec, I'd like you to meet my team. Colonel Jack O'Neill, my Commanding Officer," She indicated the silver haired man, "Doctor Daniel Jackson, and Murray Teal'c. Guys, this is Rebecca -?" Sam looked at her questioningly.

"Mayers." Bec said quickly. Sam nodded.

"Bec was one of my best friends at school."

"I'm very pleased to meet you all." Bec said, smiling widely.

"Likewise." The colonel replied.

"Same for me." The bespectacled doctor smiled.

"Any friend of Major Carters is a friend of mine." Murray said solemnly.

"Uh, thanks." Bec turned to Sam. "Major?"

"Yeah." She replied, blushing a little.

"Wow."

"Married?"

"His names Aaron. We've been married 10 years now, two daughters."

Sam's mouth fell open. "You have kids? But you always said-"

"I know. I used to think they were smelly, noisy and downright annoying, but now I have them, I wouldn't have it any other way."

Sam smiled. "That's great Bec. Surprising, but really great."

"What about you? No husband or…"

"No. Work is way too important at the moment to even think about that sort of thing."

"Well if you're happy. So, did you keep in contact with Lauren at all? The last time I talked to her was about a year after we left school."

A shadow passed over Sam's face quickly.

"After we left school, Lauren joined the air force, like me, except she became a doctor of medicine. We were both transferred to the gulf. She was killed in the field about a month before we were due to come home." She took a breath. "I'm sorry Bec, I should have tried to find you and tell you. I didn't find out til I got back here."

Bec stared at her in shock. Lauren was dead? She looked at Sam again. Her face was tired and the blank expression Bec remembered so well was in place. From past experience, Bec knew her friend was close to losing control of her emotions.

"It's okay Sam. You probably wouldn't have been able to find me anyway."

"Still-"

"It's okay. I know now."

Sam shifted on her crutches uncomfortably. Bec recalled that she would want to retreat and lick her wounds in private, so to speak.

"Sam, why don't you come and stay with me, while your leg gets better?"

Sam looked around at the three men, before smiling and saying, "Thanks Bec, I appreciate it, really, but the guys are going to look after me. They're great mother hens."

"Carter." The Colonel said warningly.

"Sir." She replied penitently.

Bec laughed. "I can see you'll be just fine, but call if you need anything okay? Even if you don't need anything; we should catch up."

Sam nodded fervently. "I'd like that."

"Okay." Bec smiled.

xxx

After exchanging phone numbers with Sam, Bec carried on rushing around the supermarket, trying frantically to complete her shopping.

Thinking of her friend, she smiled. The shy, smart girl that had been terrified of talking to boys was gone, and had been replaced by a woman who was still intelligent, and had three men that obviously cared about her very much.

'It's strange how much people can change,' she reflected. 'Sam was the one who always wanted kids, I never wanted them and now I love them to bits.' With a shrug she continued through the checkout and back towards her car.

xxx

(Two weeks later.)

Bec walked in the door of her house to hear her phone ringing. Cursing about the fact that the phone was all the way down the hall, she ran and skidded to a halt in the kitchen before picking up the phone.

"Hello, Rebecca Mayers."

"Uh, hi Rebecca, It's Daniel Jackson, we met a few weeks ago, I was with Sam Carter?"

"Hi Doctor Jackson, I remember you. How are you?"

"I'm good thankyou. How are you?"

"Yeah, great, thanks." She waited for him to speak.

"I got your number from Sam's phone, I hope you don't mind. The reason I'm calling is that we're having a surprise party for Sam getting off of her crutches, and we thought it would be nice if you could come."

"That sounds really great. So when is it?"

"It's on Saturday at one. Ummm, you'll need directions. We're having it at Jacks place so, oh, I forgot, the rest of your family is welcome to come, General Hammond's grandkids will be there too, so it's no problem."

"Okay, umm Aaron won't be able to make it, he's in New York this weekend, but I'm sure Sarah and Kellie would absolutely love it."

"Great, well Jacks place is pretty easy to find…"

After she had clear instructions and had said good bye to Doctor Jackson, Bec hung up the phone and went in search of her daughters.

They were playing outside.

"Sarah, Kellie, would you guys like to come to a party with me on Saturday?"

**An: **Okay, it was just an idea I needed to get out of my head. There is a bit more so if you think its worth continuing, could you let me know?

BTW, my friend, nut 2, has written some pretty great Naruto stories, so if you've ever seen it, go and check them out. I thought they were good, and I didn't even know what Naruto was! We share a profile so they'll b under **The Cashew Nuts**.

Any way, even if it's anonymous, please review?

Luv, nut 1.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything to do with Stargate; it all belongs to MGM or Gecko Film Corp. All I own is the plot and original characters.

**AN: **Thankyou to everybody who reveiwed! It's really nice to get some feedback.

**Chapter 2:** Team Night?

Rebecca Mayers looked at the seven people that were sitting around her in Colonel O'Neill's living room. There were the three men that she had met in the supermarket, and three that she had been introduced to only that day.

Last of all there was Sam.

She was sitting in between Colonel O'Neill and Daniel Jackson on the couch. Teal'c was sitting in a chair opposite them and next to General Hammond. Rebecca, herself, was sharing another couch with Janet Frasier and her daughter Cassie.

Rebecca's children, Sarah and Kellie and General Hammonds grandchildren, Kayla and Tessa, were playing outside.

"So Cart-" O'Neill was cut off by a shrill squeal of delight from outside in the backyard.

Seven heads turned to look out the window simultaneously.

Sarah was hanging from a low tree branch by her hands trying desperately to stay off the ground. Then, after a minute or so, she let go and Kayla tagged her it, and ran off, and the whole process started again.

"Off ground chasey, sir?" O'Neill looked at Hammond.

He held up his hands, "It was something they learnt at school. I think."

O'Neill looked at Sam for a moment, before both of them shrugged. Bec studied them carefully for a minute, before shaking her head slightly. They had been looking to the other for conformation all afternoon.

Daniel glanced at her before a look of inspiration spread over his face. He leant forward in anticipation. "So, Rebecca, do you have any good stories about Sam doing awful things at school?"

"So the real reason I was invited comes out!" Bec laughed. "Well. There was this time in Science, Sam and me both-" She looked at Sam and changed her mind. "No, I promised I would never tell anyone about that incident. There isn't really anything to tell about her that would be shocking. I was the wild one out of the three of us."

"Thankyou, Bec. I'm glad you decided not to tell. I might have been forced to do something I'd regret."

"Threats, Sammy?" Five collective eyebrows rose.

Sam mock frowned at her. "Don't call me that Bec. You know I hate it."

"Sorry."

"Yeah, you sound really sorry."

"Of course I do."

They looked at each other and burst out laughing.

xxx

Bec leaned on the rail of Colonel O'Neill's veranda, watching her children, General Hammond's grandchildren, Murray, Cassie, and Doctor Frasier play soccer.

General Hammond was umpiring.

Sam and Colonel O'Neill were sitting together on the grass watching them play also. Rebecca had gone inside for a drink of water, and when she had come out was mesmerized by the scene in front of her.

Her friend and the Colonel had caught each others eyes quite a lot that afternoon. From the looks of their posture they were doing it again.

"It's sad, isn't it?" Doctor Jackson's voice came from behind her suddenly, startling her.

"Sad?"

He nodded towards the two again. "Sam and Jack. They've been like that for years, but they can't do a thing about it because of the air force regulations."

"I was wondering about them. They have quite a few…"

"Moments?"

"I suppose you could say it like that. For years?"

"Yeah. They hide it well though. It's only when one of them nearly dies that you could tell, and then only if you know them well."

Bec's first thought after that was 'Is he joking?' but he did not appear to be.

"When you put it like that, it is sad."

They both watched in silence as Doctor Frasier threw herself down next to Sam, and Murray followed her standing. After a minute, Murray pulled O'Neill to his feet and they made their way up towards the veranda.

"Doc threatened us with big needles if we didn't go away, and come and get Rebecca." O'Neill explained to Daniel. "Something to do with us being male."

Daniel and O'Neill shrugged together.

"I guess that's my cue then." Bec said inching slowly away from them.

"Wait a second, Rebecca." The Colonel moved to block her path. "You could tell us the story you were going to before. Carter won't know." He grinned jokingly.

"I don't think so, Colonel." Bec smiled and started to move away.

"Wait." It was Daniel that spoke this time. "Could you tell us what Sam was like when she was younger?"

Bec looked at him, and then round at the others. "Okay." She said slowly, taking a breath. "She was a lot different than she is now. In high school she was very shy, wouldn't talk unless spoken to, that kind of thing. That was her dad's influence, I think. She missed him a lot, especially after her mom died. In a way, I'm surprised she actually went into the air force, because, at the time she really resented it because her dad was hardly ever there."

She paused and looked at Sam.

"Was science her favourite subject?" Colonel O'Neill asked jokingly.

"You know, it wasn't. Sure, she was good at it, but it was English and History that she really loved for a while there. She used to really love Music for a while as well, played piano, but, she stopped after her mom died. I think that she only started really liking science, was after we started doing physics."

Daniel and Colonel O'Neill's mouths were wide open.

"Played piano?" One of them asked.

"English and History?" The other breathed.

Rebecca laughed. "Yeah. She used to work hard too. Lauren and I always were trying to get her to relax, but it never worked. She probably hasn't changed in that regard at all."

"You're not wrong." Colonel O'Neill muttered. Bec smiled.

"Sam was a good friend, and she got me out of a lot of trouble during school. I think one time she even took a detention for me, so I could go and work on another assignment."

"She took detention for you?"

"Yeah, she took the blame, and stayed after school for three days. Her dad was absolutely furious."

"I bet he was." Daniel said softly.

Bec looked at Sam again and saw Doctor Frasier and her friend beckoning to her.

"All right, I think if you guys want to know anymore, you should talk to Sam." With one last smile, Bec stepped off the veranda and made her way towards the two women waiting for her.

xxx

It was only on her way home that Rebecca realised what Daniel had implied when she had been talking to him.

'_It's only when one of them nearly dies that you could tell, and then only if you know them well.'_

She had brushed it off when she was talking to him, but now she thought about it, it was quite a weird thing to say. How often would they nearly die, working in deep space radar telemetry?

And Sam had said she was injured in a lab accident. How many of them do you have that leave you on crutches for weeks?

Bec thought back over the afternoon, trying to think if there had been any other things that didn't measure up.

Then something Sam had said when they had started eating lunch sprang up at her.

(Flash back)

"_Grub's up!" Colonel O'Neill shouted, putting down a plate of food on the table. _

_Everyone sat down._

_Daniel raised his glass. "To getting off of crutches!"_

_They all repeated the sentiment, smiling. _

_Sam raised her glass again and said, "To good friends, and for those who didn't get back home."_

_They all drank again, and started eating._

_(End Flashback.)_

'For those that didn't get back home?' Rebecca wondered.

What was her friend doing?

'Well, one things for sure; it's not deep space radar telemetry.' She thought grimly.

**AN: **I am soo sorry this took so long to post. I have been incommunicado for quite a while because i have been at a place with absolutely no internet access.

Anyway, i hoped you liked this chapter, and please review!

Luv Nut 1


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three:** Heroism

It was raining. That was the first thing Rebecca Mayers noticed after she had woken up. She yawned hugely, her face feeling as though it was splitting apart. It was six AM on a Saturday morning and, in her opinion, far too early to be awake. Stretching, she looked for the source of her awakening. There was cheerful whistling echoing out the open ensuite door. Aaron. He stepped out the doorway, showered, shaved and fully dressed, and smiled at her.

"Aaaah, Sleeping beauty awakens, or is it Dorothy this morning?" he asked chirpily.

"Humour at this hour is close to sacrilege," She grunted.

"Bec, its six AM," he said, crossing to the bed and sitting next to her legs.

"Time is relative, Darling."

"Sorry." He leant in and gave her a quick kiss.

Bec looked at him. "Why are you dressed?"

"I promised Sarah and Kellie that I'd take them for a walk and croissants this morning, remember? Are you sure you don't want to come?"

"Tempting as it is, it's a definite and resounding no."

Aaron grinned, leaning in for another kiss. As soon as Bec went to kiss him back, the phone rang. She groaned loudly.

"Who on Earth would be calling now?"

Aaron shrugged and picked the ringing bedroom extension.

"Hello, Aaron Mayers speaking."

He listened for a moment, his brow furrowed.

"Okay, hang on a second," He passed the phone to Bec. "It's for you."

Frowning, Bec took the proffered object. "Hello?"

"Hi Bec, its Sam." Her friend's voice sounded small and tired.

"Sam? Are you okay?" She asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, why?"

"Well you sound a little……off?"

Sam laughed half heartedly. "Oookay."

"Sam, it's just that you sounding off, and calling at six in the morning-"

"0600? I'm sorry Bec. Umm, I didn't realise the time, um, I'll just go."

"NO! No, don't go Sam, its okay."

"Sorry."

"It's all right. Soooo…"

"You're wondering why I called," Sam stated.

"Yeah."

"Umm, is it, do you reckon it would be okay if I came and saw you……later."

"Yeah, of course. When?"

"Oh, umm, I don't know."

If the rest of the conversation hadn't put Bec on edge, that comment did.

"Okay. Look, why don't you come round at seven for breakfast?"

"Seven?"

"0700?"

"Isn't that too early for you?"

"Sam, I am talking to you now, at six o'clock, seven is not too early."

"Oh, okay, Thanks. I'll see you soon then. Sorry."

"It's okay. Bye."

"Bye."

Bec hung up the phone confusedly. "Well, that was…odd."

"What?" Aaron asked.

"Sam. She sounded like she was in a real daze." Bec looked at the phone pensively. "I've only ever heard her sound like that once before, and…"

"And?" Aaron prompted

"Well, it was back in school, and her mother had just died."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Umm, I think Sam and I might need some time to talk in private, do you think you could keep the kids away a little longer. Say, an hour or so?"  
Aaron nodded, "Yeah, I'll take them to my parents place after breakfast or something."

"Thanks sweetheart."

"No problem."

_xxxxxxxx_

_Ding dong._

Bec hurried down the hallway as the doorbell rang.

"Hi Sam!"

"Hey." Sam stepped inside and looked around. "Nice place."

"Thanks. Sooo breakfast?"

"Umm… yeah, sure."

Bec indicated the way to the kitchen and Sam preceded her down the hall.

"Okay, I haven't actually made anything yet, so you can choose whatever you want." Bec said gaily while studying her friend's appearance.

"Umm, would you mind heaps if I just had a piece of toast?"

"Toast? Great choice." Bec started to pull everything out that she would need out of the cupboards. "Grab a stool Sam; they're on the other side of the bench."

"Thanks," Sam accepted, moving to the opposite side.

Her friend was tired. Bec could see it in the way she was walking. Her face was pale and drawn.

"So… what's new?" Bec asked curiously.

"What? Uhh, nothing much. Work, you know."

Bec nodded in agreement. "Sam…" She started uncomfortably.

"Yeah?"

"Are you sure you're okay, it's just you really don't look great."

"That bad?"

Bec nodded.

Sam sighed and cast her eyes towards the opposite wall, but didn't attempt to answer.

"Is it work?"

"You could say that."

"What happened?"

Sam took a deep breath, and for a moment Bec thought she wouldn't answer. Then Sam blinked and started talking. "One of our teams was ambushed on their way home. A member of that team was badly wounded. My team, and two others, along with medics and Doctor Fraiser, were sent in to extract them. We came under heavy fire from the opposition. Colonel O'Neill was shot."

"What? How bad?" Bec interrupted quickly. Her mind was reeling with the information that she had just been given. Sam had told her that she didn't go into combat;she worked at Cheyenne Mountain doing Deep Space Telemetry analysis.

Sam smiled ruefully, "He'll be all right soon."

Bec nodded with a thankful smile. It was then she noticed Sam seemed to be holding back the tears that had been threatening before, with great difficulty. "Sam? What else happened?"

"The medical team, with Daniel and some guards went to stabilise the wounded soldier. He was really badly hurt but Janet managed to get him ready for transport." She sniffed, and brushed away the lone tear tracking its way down her face.

"We were about to leave when an enemy soldier got past the guards. He managed to get a couple of shots off."

Bec closed her eyes, hoping that what she thought she was going to hear would not come out of Sam's mouth.

"She's dead." Sam whispered slowly. "Janet's dead. She never even saw who shot her. Just like Lauren."

Bec opened her eyes again and look carefully at her friend. She was crying properly now.

"Sam…" Bec stopped, unsure of what to say. Instead of saying anything, she made her way round the bench and wrapped her friend up in a warm hug. They stood like that until Sam had nearly finished crying. Hesitating, she opened her mouth, wondering if what she was about to say would help. "The other soldier… Did he make it?"

Sam nodded into her shoulder. "He's going to make a full recovery."

"I know, this might not help, but…wouldn't Janet be happy about that?"

Again, Sam nodded. Sniffing a little, she pulled back and looked Bec in the eyes. "Yeah, she would. I just wish…"

"I know."

Sam scraped a hand over her face slowly. Catching the puzzled look on Bec's face she said, "You're wondering why we were sent in to extract them, when we do Deep Space Radar Telemetry?"

"Sam, it's okay, I understand, if you can't tell me, then-"

"No, it's not. Look, I do work with Deep Space Radar Telemetry; it's just, I go into combat an awful lot as well. Nearly every week." Sam scrubbed her face with her hand again and sniffed.

Bec looked at her pale face and then back at the bench. She got the feeling her friend wanted to say something else.

"She should have had more guards. They both should."

"Both?" Bec questioned slowly. Sam looked at her carefully.

"Bec, when we met in the shop, I lied. I was there when Lauren was killed. I was one of the volunteers helping with the medics." She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I couldn't save either of them." She mumbled. "I should have learnt from Lauren's death that medics need more guards, because they don't usually have the field experience."

"Sam, for as long as I've known you, you've never seen yourself as the centre of everything, don't start now. I'm sure you did everything you could, both for Lauren and Janet." Bec looked at Sam sternly, and then walked around to the other side of the bench. "Now, you're going to eat your toast, and drink this," She handed her a glass of milk, "and then go up to the spare room and sleep for a few hours. Clear?"  
Sam gave a half hearted shrug, and took the mug, taking ahuge gulp. She blanched instantly. "Milk?"

"Healthy teeth and bones."

Sam smiled properly this time. "Bec, thankyou, but I should probably-"

"No! you are going to do what I say, I can see you are tired."

"Okay, but only for two hours," Sam relented.

"Okay." Bec agreed, mentally crossing her fingers. "Spare room's this way." Bec led Sam up the stairs. When they reached the doorway, Sam grasped Bec's arm, and said, "Bec…thankyou."

"Welcome." That was all she needed to say. Sam nodded and turned away, but then spun to look at her. "Bec?"

"Yeah?"

"About what I said, you know the part about going into combat?"

Bec nodded. "Don't worry; I'll forget I heard it." At Sam's disbelieving look, she added, "Well, most of the time I'll forget. But I won't tell anyone."

Sam smiled. "Thankyou. Again."

Bec merely smiled this time, and gently pushed her friend into the room."

"Sleep. I'll come and wake you up in a few hours."

"Okay." Sam turned, walked in and shut the door.

Bec turned away and slowly made her way down the stairs. When she got back to the kitchen, she sat down and rested her head in her hands. She let one tear track it's way slowly down her face, before brushing it away. The single tear was the friend that had died years ago, far away from home, fro the friend upstairs in the spare bedroom, for the doctor that had died to save someone else's life, and for the girl that had lost yet another mother.

Bec sat there for a while, before standing, and clearing away the mess from 'breakfast.'

xxxxxxxx

**An: **Hi guys! I am so sorry that I haven't updated for sooo long, this chapter was incredibly hard to write, and the first drafts I did, well, I don't think we'll mention them again for a while. I'm having a bit of a mental blank for the next chapter as well, so if you have any requests for content, could you let me know?

Umm, I think that's about it, oh one last thing,

Please Review!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **Well last time I checked I didn't own it, so Stargate SG1 belongs to MGM and Gekko Film Corp.

**A/N**: Thankyou so much to everyone who has reviewed, and special thanks to the people who have reviewed all three chapters of my story.

Feb04: I really wanted to try and get away from Janet's death, so I didn't incorporate your idea, sorry. Thankyou for the idea though.

**A/N2: **Well, I like to pretend that Pete actually died in Chimera, but he didn't so I had to introduce him sometime. Ohhhhhhhh. (Sighs dramatically)

**Xxxxx**

**Chapter 4: **Unexpected Encounters

Water trickled down the vibrant green of Sam Carter's plants, dripping down into the brown potting mix. Rebecca Mayers set down her spray bottle and looked at the healthy foliage.

Sam had rung her four days ago to see if there was any possibility of her looking after her plants for a few days , as she was heading to Los Angeles with Murray and Daniel, and Colonel O'Neill was still confined to his house after being shot.

'What on earth Sam would be doing in LA for work is anyone's guess.' Bec thought to herself snarkily.

A moment later she was startled as Sam's doorbell shrilled violently. Curious as to who would be calling, she walked to the door and opened it to find a tallish man with brown hair and eyes, and a lopsided smile. When he saw Bec his smile faltered a little, however.

"Hi. "

"Hi."

"I'm Pete Shanahan. And you're not Sam Carter."

Bec smiled. "No I'm not. I'm Rebecca Mayers, Sam's friend.

"Oh, yeah, Sam's told me heaps about you. I'm her boyfriend. It's great to meet you finally." He stuck out his hand.

Bec shook the offered appendage while trying to digest what she had just been told.

"It's lovely to meet you too. Do you want to come in?"

"Umm, if Sam's not back yet, then I'll come back later."

He started to turn away.  
"Sam's coming home tonight?"

"Yeah, she messaged me saying that she was just about to get on a plane."

"Oh. Great. Are you sure you don't want to come in?"

"Yeah, thanks. It was nice to meet you Rebecca. I'll probably see you around later."

"It was nice meeting you too, Pete."

Pete turned and left. Bec closed the door slowly and walked through the hall to finish the watering.

**xxxxxxx**

An hour later Bec was still at Sam's house making dinner for her friend, because she knew Sam well enough that if it was left her, Sam would simply come in and go straight to bed without eating. She was so preoccupied with trying to find pots and pans that she didn't hear the front door being opened and someone walking down the hall.

"Rebecca?" A male voice asked.

Bec jumped, hitting her head on the top of the cupboard door.

"Oww!" she hissed. She turned to see Colonel O'Neill standing in the doorway. She stood up hastily. "Colonel O'Neill," He raised his eyebrow at her, "Jack," she amended quickly. He smiled.

"I thought for a second Carter had dyed her hair, or was wearing a wig or something."

Bec looked at him steadily. "Come on, I'm the one that hit my head just now."

"Yeah, you okay?"

"I'm fine. What about you? I heard you were shot, and I also heard that you were confined to your own house."

"I'm okay, I've been shot before, and when they say you're to stay at home they don't really mean you to stay there for all of the specified time."

"Oh. No one knows you're here then."

O'Neill laughed. "No one. So, what are you doing here?"

"I was watering Sam's plants for her, when I found out she was getting home tonight. And knowing Sam, I thought I'd better make her something to eat, otherwise she wouldn't."

"Ah, good idea. I had the same, but I was just going to get take out for all of us."

All of us? "Are Daniel and Murray coming back here too?"

He simply nodded.

"Oh. I'll just wait until Sam gets back, then I'll go. I wouldn't want to interrupt you guys."

"Oh for crying out loud, you are like Carter! You wouldn't be interrupting. I'm sure she and the others would like it if you'd stay." Bec smiled hesitantly. "Especially if the stuff in the pot that smells so nice, is gonna be enough for five people?"

Bec smiled properly this time. "I think it might be, Col-Jack," She hastily corrected her almost slip.

"So is there anything you want help with?"

Bec looked at him warily. Sam had told her about the distinct lack of culinary talents from anyone on her team. "Er…no, that's fine. I think I've got it under control. Thanks, though."

**xxxxxxxxx**

An hour later, Bec was putting the finishing touches on the salad when O'Neill got up and started walking out into the hall. "They're here."

When she listened carefully, Bec did actually hear footsteps shuffling in the hall. A little surprised he had heard them before she had, Bec began to make her way out of the kitchen. She stopped however, at the sounds that drifted back to her.

"Jack!"

"Sir!"

"O'Neill."

"Hi guys. Nice trip? Have fun Murray?"

"It was a most displeasing result O'Neill."

"Oh."

"Sir… correct me if I'm wrong, but-" Sam started, before she allowed Daniel to finish with-

"Aren't you meant to be resting at home?"

"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

A chorus of loud replies to the negative made Bec smile.

"Sooo……did you bring food? Pizza? Chinese?" Daniel sounded a little exuberant.

"Neither, actually Spacemonkey. There's something muuuch better in the kitchen."

"You cooked, Sir?" Sam couldn't quite keep the quaver out of her voice.

"Nope, not me."

Bec chose this moment to appear. "I did. Your kitchen is safe."

"Hey!" O'Neill was drowned out by the others.

"Bec!"

"Rebecca Mayers."

"Hi. Before you ask, none of your plants died and no, I did not talk to them."

Sam's eyes widened and she let out a cross between a growl and a sigh. Daniel and Jack merely exchanged evil glances with each other.

"Oh, you are so dead now." Sam muttered softly.

"What was that Sam, I don't think I caught it?" Bec asked with an evil grin of her own.

"Never mind."

Bec was about to lead the way back to the kitchen when she remembered her conversation with Pete. "Sam?"

"I met someone this afternoon; he was here, looking for you."

A look of consternation passed over Sam's face but was quickly gone again. "Um, do you guys want to go choose a movie, I want to talk to Bec quickly."

All three men nodded and walked into the living room in single file. Sam pulled Bec into the kitchen and closed the door, to both the living room and the hall.

"So, you met Pete?"

"Yeah. I wouldn't have thought he'd be your type. He seemed nice though."

"Look, Bec, I would've told you before, but I wasn't sure if it was going to last."

"Is that why you got rid of them?" Bec indicated the living room door.

"No. Yes. I don't know." Sam looked incredibly flustered. "I don't really like discussing relationships in front of them. It's……uncomfortable."

Bec was confused. "Are you embarrassed of Pete?"

"No. I just-can we not talk about that?"

Bec nodded. "Is it serious?"

Sam opened her mouth then paused, "No," she said finally, "I think Pete wants it to be, but, I don't really."

Bec took a deep breath and said, "Now, I'm going to tell you what you always used to tell me. If it's not going where you want it too, don't string it along and hurt him. It's not fair if you're just using him."

Sam nodded mutely.

"Okay, now, you guys are going to eat and I really should go home."

"No, you don't have to. Stay."

"It's all right Sam; I'm not leaving because I'm angry at you. I have stuff to do for Sarah and Kellie."

"Okay. I'll see you soon then." Sam smiled tentatively.

"Yeah, I'll ring you or something."

After saying goodbye to the three in the living room, and waiving off their offers of hospitality, Bec and Sam made it to the front door. As she stepped out onto the porch Sam said, "You're really not angry at me?"

Bec smiled, "I was a little when I first saw him, but only because you hadn't told me. Really, I'm not angry at all."

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye."

Sam closed her front door, and Bec made her way to her car. Once she was home she wondered how Sam's team mates, and in particular, one Colonel Jack O'Neill felt about Pete, but her train of thought was cut off as she walked into her warm house and saw Sarah, Kellie and Aaron in the living room watching the television. She smiled, and went to join them.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**An:** I am sooooo sorry this has taken so long to update. I admit I may have been a little lazy. Any way, you guys have Nut 2 to thank for this chapter, as she has been nagging me about it for the last two weeks. I'll try to have the next chapter out quicker.

Luv, Nut 1

Please Review!


End file.
